Fluidic integrated logic circuit module

ABSTRACT

A fluidic circuit module formed from a pack or stack of plate elements having aligned apertures for fluid communication therethrough. Some of the apertures in the plate elements form inter-connecting fluid passages between the plate elements, at least one of the plate elements also has some of its apertures intra-connected by fluid passages for programming the pack and at least one of the plate elements has intra-connected fluid passages forming a plurality of radially extending active fluidic elements supplied from a centrally located power input aperture. The double mode NOR gate, an active fluidic element which may be used in the module, includes an interaction chamber separating an aligned input and output passage defining a path of laminar fluid flow and a control fluid inlet passage opening into the interaction chamber for establishing a control stream fluid flow which switches the power stream from laminar to turbulent flow. The interaction chamber has side walls which diverge from the input passage in the direction of the output passage, and this causes the turbulent flow to attach to one of the side walls and reduces the outlet pressure to substantially zero.

ite States atent m1 Cohen [54] FLUIDIC INTEGRATED LOGIC CIRCUIT MODULE[75] Inventor: Kenneth W. Cohen, Chesterland,

Ohio

[73] Assignee: liailey Matti-6615 5536, WElEh fi e,

Ohio

22 l iledz H i/T6 24, 1969 21 Appl. No.: 809,763

52 US. Cl. 57/833 [51] Int. Cl. ..Fl5c 1/06 [58] Field of Search,..235/20l, 200;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,362,421 1/1968 Schafier..l37/8l.5 3,495,608 2/1970 OKeefe ..l37/81 5 3,384,115 5/1968 Drazan etal... 137/81.5 X 3,420,254 1/1969 Machmer ..l37/8l.5 3,461,900 8/1969Dexter et al.... ..l37/81.5 3,465,772 9/1969 Monge et al ..l37/8 l .53,469,593 9/1969 OKcefe ..l37/8l.5

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Modular Pneumatic Logic Package, IBM Tech. Discl.Bull., R. F. Langley et al., Vol; 6, No. 5, Oct., 1963, pp. 3,4.

trally located power input aperture.

[ May 8, 1973 Attorney-Joseph M. Maguire [57] ABSTRACT The double modeNOR gate, an active fluidic element which may be used in the module,includes an interaction chamber separating an aligned input and outputpassage defining a path of laminar fluid flow and a control fluid inletpassage opening into the interaction chamber for establishing a controlstream fluid flow which switches the power stream from laminar toturbulent flow. The interaction chamber has side walls which divergefrom the input passage in the direction of the output passage, and thiscauses the turbulent flow to attach to one of the side walls and reducesthe outlet pressure to substantially zero.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures a ,J L a T ,W M.

MANIFOLD ASSMBY PROGRAMMING PLATES ELEMENT PLATES ii i i 9Q L. l A wc-.... -t-. W -M -VV FLAT PACK PATENTEDMY 81915 3.731.700

' INVENTOR.

KENNETH W. COHEN FIG 3 FIG. 2 yfmxizw ATTORNEY PATENTEUW 8W SHEET 2 OF 3mwZ: 55d

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KENNETH W COHEN V iNK PAIENTEII 81913 3.731.700

SHEET 3 OF 3 CONTROL 2|6b 2l4b FLUID souRcEs 200 222 224 2I6a I 206 KINTERACTION OUTLET CHAMBER 208 CONTINUOUS 2200 228 FLUID POWER 2|8Q 225SUPPLY CONTROL FLUID 22010 2I8b VENTPORT INLET PASSAGES FIG. 5

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N 2.3 E .2 INVENTOR.

.I KENNETH W. COHEN NORMALIZED CONTROL PRESSURE ATTORNEY FLUIDTCINTEGRATED LOGIC CIRCUIT MODULE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION systemsrequiring a plurality of active elements, such as NOR gates, programmedfor logic operations, and will be described with particular referencethereto although it will be appreciated that the invention has broaderapplications such as where a combination of various kinds of fluidicelements are to be integrated into a system.

2. Description of the Prior Art F luidic systems have heretoforecomprised a plurality of fluidic elements operating from a fluid powersource and programmed through a maze of tubing connected between theinputs and outputs of the respective elements.

An approach to integrated fluidic systems which has reduced the numberof tubing connections has been to etch, mill, mold or cast a pluralityof fluidic elements, along with fluid passages between their respectiveinputs and outputs, into a planer component which performs theequivalent function of the system. When the fluid passage systemrequires the crossing of fluid passages, the system cannot be etched,milled or made otherwise into a single geometric plane. If severalplaner components are used for the system, there is the necessity forconnecting tubing between the respective planer components. Anotherproblem with this approach is that design and replacement costs of eachcomponent are not minimized since there is no standardization ofcomponents.

The prior art of pure fluid amplifiers includes two basic categories:the digital type and the analog type. The digital-type amplifier isgenerally an on-off operated control device. The analog amplifier isgenerally a continuously variable control device.

The distinguishing feature of the digital-type fluid amplifier from theanalog-type amplifier is the provision of an interaction chamber definedby a pair of side walls diverging one from the other along at least aportion thereof in the direction of power stream fluid flow. The sidewalls may be designed to obtain momentum exchange or boundary layeraction in the digital-type fluid amplifier; while in the analog-type ofamplifier only momentum exchange action is obtainable.

The momentum exchange action in both types of amplifiers is thedeflection ofa power stream by imparting a sideways momentum thereto bya control stream positioned in a generally perpendicular direction tothe control stream. The boundary layer action, a characteristic of onlythe digital-type fluid amplifiers, is the deflection of the power streamto an outlet channel by the pressure distribution in the boundary layerregion of the power stream which is controlled in part by the wallconfiguration of the interaction chamber and a flow of control fluidinto the boundary layer region. A distinguishing characteristic ofboundary layer action and, therefore, of digital-type fluid amplifiersof previous designs, is single mode turbulent fluid flow with hysteresisside wall attachment.

The change of mode from laminar to turbulent flow has been used inpreviously designed flow transition amplifiers having a momentumexchange action. A continuously variable output pressure characteristicis present which categorizes this type of device an analog-typeamplifier rather than a digital-type amplifier. The continuouslyvariable output characteristic results from a residual pressurecollected at the outlet channel from which the power stream has beendeflected. This residual pressure reduces the noise insensitivity of thedevice, causes problems in fanning out to similar devices, includingimpedance matching problems, and reduces the effectiveness of the deviceas a digital-type amplifier. Applicants invention overcomes all of theseproblems by reducing the outlet pressure to substantially zero in theturbulent mode of operation. This results from the introduction ofboundary layer action with associated hysteresis side wall attachment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided an integrated fluidic circuit module including a pluralityof plates formed into a stack, at least one of the plates beingremovable and having apertures intraconnected by fluid passages fromprogramming the stack and at least one of the plates forming an activefluidic element inter-connected with the programming plate.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the activeelement plate includes a plurality of active fluidic elements formedfrom fluid passages disposed in wheel-spoke fashion about the plate,each active fluidic element includes a power stream input passagecommunicating with a centrally located aperture in the plate, an outletpassage communicating with the power stream input passage through aninteraction chamber having diverging side walls and a control fluidinlet passage opening into the interaction chamber for establishing acontrol stream fluid flow cooperative with the power stream. Another ofthe plates in the stack has a plurality of peripheral notches, eachnotch forming a vent port communicating with each respective interactionchamber and the atmosphere through the edge of the stack so that thecontrol stream cooperative with the power stream attaches to one of theside walls of the interaction chamber and exhausts through the vent portreducing the outlet pressure to substantially zero.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an integrated fluidic system comprising a central fluidprogramming unit in combination with a plurality of integrated fluidiccircuit modules as set forth above. The central fluid programming unitincludes a core having a plurality of fluid passages communicating witha like plurality of fluid passages in the integrated fluidic circuitmodules.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide anintegrated fluidic circuit module including a plurality of activefluidic elements which may be programmed within the module by aremovable program core element.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual mode NOR gatewhich can be used in an integrated fluidic system and which has a morenearly digital operating characteristic as compared with previouslyknown turbulence amplifiers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating a fluidic system with a plurality of integrated fluidicmodules.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the profile of one of theintegrated fluidic modules.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view illustrating one of the integratedfluidic modules.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the relative circumferentialalignment of a plurality of plate elements forming the integratedfluidic module.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram ofa double mode NOR gate amplifier elementconstructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is a graphic representation showing a representativecharacteristic of a typical turbulence amplifier element.

FIG. 7 is a graphic representation showing a representativecharacteristic of an amplifier element constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, afluidic system is illustrated and includes a system programming unit 10,a plurality of integrated fluidic modules 12a, 12b and 120, input buffer14 and output interface 16. The system programming unit includes aremovable programming core 18 having a plurality of internal fluidpassages communicating with the integrated fluidic modules 12, the inputbuffer 14 and output interface 16 through the mounting plates 22 andrespectively. Input tubing 24 is shown connected to the input buffer 14,and output tubing 26 is shown connected to the output interface 16 forconnecting other fluidic devices into the system.

The input buffer 14 is of a conventional type and is used for convertinginput fluid pressure to system fluid pressure for use in the integratedfluidic module 12. The output interface 16 is also conventional and isused to convert system fluid pressure to output fluid pressure forcontrol purposes. If several stages of integrated fluidic modules are tobe used, the output interface may be obviated in all stages except thelast.

The Integrated Fluidic Module Each integrated fluidic module 12 includesa manifold base plate 28, a manifold cover plate 34, a flat pack ofplates 36 and a cover plate 38.

A boss 29, centrally located in the base plate 28, is provided withinterior threads for receiving a bolt used to compress the cover plate38 and flat pack 36 to the face of the manifold cover plate 34. The baseplate 28 is also provided with mounting feet for securing the integratedfluidic modules 12 to the face of mounting plate 22 by means of screws32.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a side elevational view and a frontelevational view of an integrated fluidic module 12 are respectivelyillustrated. FIG. 2 shows a plurality of plug-in apertures 42 located inthe mounting plane of base plate 28. A centrally located power inputaperture 44, a plurality of input apertures 46 and a plurality of outputapertures 48 are mated with a corresponding plurality of fittings whichproject outwardly from the plane of mounting plate 22 and communicatetherethrough to the programming core I8.

The power input aperture 44 communicates with a power input passage 50which is etched, milled, molded or cast in the base plate 28 andterminates in a power input aperture 55 centrally located in cover plate34. A plurality of input passages 52 and output passages 54 are alsoformed in base plate 28 and terminate in input and output apertures 57and 59 respectively in cover plate 34.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the flat pack 36 includes a group ofprogramming plates 64 and a group of element plates 66. It should beunderstood that the showing of programming plates 64 and element plates66 in this arrangement is merely typical of one of the many combinationsthat may be formed. For example, a flat pack with two groups ofprogramming plates and two groups of element plates may be used. A firstsealing plate 70 having a central power input aperture aligned with thecentral power input aperture 55 in cover plate 34 is proximate to thecover plate 34 The plate 70 also has input apertures 77 and outputapertures 79 aligned with the respective input and output apertures incover plate 34. Alignment apertures 73 are provided near the peripheryof plate 70 and are used for properly aligning the plate with respect tothe other plates in the module by passing a pair of rods 53 through thesimilarly numbered (last digit) apertures in the remaining plates.

The plate next most proximate to the manifold cover plate 34 is themodule programming plate 80. The module programming plate 80 includes acentral power input aperture 85, a plurality of input apertures 87 and aplurality of output apertures 89, and these apertures are aligned withthe correspondingly numbered apertures in plate 70. The moduleprogramming plate 80 also includes a first plurality of concentriccontrol fluid apertures 82 and a second plurality of control fluidapertures 84. Programming plate 80 also has a third additional pluralityof apertures, outlet apertures 86, which are concentrically disposedabout the plate 80. Each outlet aperture 86 is disposed on a radiallyextending line bisecting the distance between alternate pairs of controlfluid apertures 82 or 84.

A plurality of programming passages 88, formed through plate 80, areused to connect the input apertures 87 with the control fluid apertures82, 84, and similar programming passages are used to connect theassociated outlet apertures 86 with other control fluid apertures orwith output apertures 89, depending on the particular system to beprogrammed. This arrangement provides for fanning out the outletapertures 86 to control a plurality of active elements.

A second sealing plate 90, having a central power input aperture 95,control fluid apertures 92, 94 and outlet apertures 96, is aligned withthe module programming plate 80 having similarly numbered apertures.Module programming plate 80 is interposed between the first sealingplate 70 and second sealing plate in order to confine the fluid flow tothe apertures and programming passages 88.

The group of element plates 66 includes a vent plate 190, a vent coverplate 1 10, an element plate 130 and a control element plate 150. Thevent plate is provided with a central power input aperture 105,concentrically disposed control fluid apertures 102, 104 and outletapertures 106. These apertures are aligned with the correspondinglynumbered apertures in the second sealing plate 90. A plurality ofperipheral notches 41 are formed in plate 100 which arecircumferentially spaced from each other to form vent separators 40 inwhich the outlet apertures 106 are located.

The vent cover plate 110 has a central power input aperture 115, aplurality of control fluid apertures 112, 114, a plurality of outletapertures 1 16, and these apertures are aligned with the correspondinglynumbered apertures in vent plate 100. A pair of vent apertures 122, 124,associated with each of the plurality of output apertures 116, are alsoprovided. Apertures 122 is circumferentially positioned so as tocommunicate with the atmosphere through one of the peripheral notches41, associated with vent plate 100, and vent aperture 124 is positionedto communicate with the atmosphere through the peripheral notch 41adjacent to the first notch 41.

The active element plate 130 includes a central power input aperture135, a plurality of circumferentially disposed control fluid transitionapertures 132a, 132b, 1340 and 134k and a plurality of output apertures136, and these apertures are aligned with the correspondingly numberedapertures in vent cover plate 110. The active element plate 130 alsoincludes a plurality of power stream input passages 144 radiallyextending from the central power input aperture 135 and communicatingwith a respective plurality of interaction chambers 145. The powerstream input passages 144 are radially aligned with the respectiveoutlet apertures 136, and a plurality of outlet passages 146 areprovided between the respective interaction chambers 145 and outletapertures 136.

The control element plate 150 includes a central power input aperture155, a plurality of circumferentially disposed control fluid passages152a, 152b, 1540 and 154b and an associated plurality of outletapertures 156. The control element plate 150 also includes a pluralityof radially extending power stream input passages 164 which are alignedwith power stream input passages 144 in active element plate 130, a likeplurality of interaction chambers 165 aligned with interaction chambers145 of active element plate 130 and a plurality of outlet passages 166aligned with the outlet passages 146 of active element plate 130. Theinteraction chambers 165 of control element plate 150 are aligned withthe interaction chambers 145 in active element plate 130 and communicatewith the atmosphere through associated vent apertures 122 and 124 invent cover plate 110 and the peripheral notches 41 in plate 100.

The cover plate 38, provided with a centrally located aperture 35, isused to compress the flat pack of elements 36, and a bolt 37, having adiameter slightly less than the diameter of the central power inputapertures in all of the plate elements, is threaded into the internallythreaded boss 29 in base plate 28. A sealing washer 39 is used toprevent the leakage of fluid through the aperture 35 of cover plate 38.The programming plates 64 are bonded together with a suitable substanceto confine the fluid flow to the apertures and passages. The samebonding technique is used for plates 66.

Operation of Integrated Fluidic Module The operation of the integratedfluidic module shown in FIG. 4 has the following fluid flow pattern.Supply fluid, such as air, is introduced into the power input aperture44 of the manifold base plate 28 and flows through the power inputpassage 50 into the annular chamber formed between the bolt 37 and thecentrally located apertures in each of the plates of the flat pack 36.When the power stream reaches plates 130 and 150, it is divided amongthe power stream input passages 144 aligned with passages 164, and thepower stream passes through the interaction chambers 145, 165, throughthe outlet passages 146, 166 and through the outlet apertures 136, 156.The fluid flows through the correspondingly numbered outlet apertures inplates 110, 100, 90, to plate 80. The outlet apertures in plate 80 maybe communicated through programming passages 88 to control fluidapertures 82, 84 or to the outlet apertures 89 and through the outputapertures in the first sealing plate and out of the system. If theoutput apertures in plate are not programmed through any otherapertures, then the fluid is exhausted through vent apertures 122, 124in vent cover plate 110, through the peripheral notches 41 in vent platewhere it passes to the atmosphere.

If any of the outlet apertures in programming plate 80 communicate witheither the output apertures 89 or with the control fluid apertures 82,84, the fluid may be used to perform a work function after passing outof the system. The input apertures 87 in plate 80 may be programmed tocommunicate through passages 88 with any of the control fluid apertures82, 84. The control fluid is directed through the aligned control fluidapertures in plates 90, 100, 110, to control element plate where it isintroduced into the interaction chamber and is used to switch the powerstream input fluid from the outlet aperture 156. When the power streamis diverted by the control stream flow in this way, it will leave theinteraction chamber through the vent apertures 122, 124 in vent coverplate 110 and through the peripheral notches in vent plate 100 to theatmosphere.

Double Mode NOR Gate One of the pure fluid logic devices in controlelement plate 150 of FIG. 4 is illustrated in FIG. 5 as a fluid flowconfiguration of a pattern of passages etched, milled, molded or cast ina suitable plate material. This configuration is a double mode NOR gateand includes a power stream input passage 202 opening into aninteraction chamber 204 and exiting into an outlet passage 206. Thepower stream input passage 202 is connected to a source of continuouspower stream 200, and the supply stream is maintained at a pressurelevel sufficient to produce a laminar fluid flow through the inputpassage 202, through the interaction chamber 204 and exiting through theoutlet passage 206 into the outlet 208.

The interaction chamber 204 includes a pair of parallel side walls 210,212 which extend a fraction of the length of the interaction chamber anda pair of diverging side walls 222, 226 which open into vent ports 224,228 respectively. At the end of the interaction chamber 204 in which thepower stream input passage 202 opens, control fluid inlet passages 216aand 216b open into the interaction chamber through one of the parallelside walls 210. Control fluid sources 214a and 214b supply control fluidto control fluid inlet passages 216a, 216b respectively. A similararrangement of control fluid inlet passages 220a, 220b open into theinteraction chamber 204 through the other parallel side wall 212. Thecontrol fluid inlet passages 220a, 220b are similarly supplied bycontrol fluid sources 218a, 21812 respectively.

lnitially, let us assume that there is no control fluid flowing into theinteraction chamber through the control fluid inlet passages. Thecontinuous fluid power supply 200, communicating with the power streaminput passage 202, causes a laminar fluid flow through the input passage202 and into the outlet passage 206 causing a positive pressure at theoutlet 208. Let us now assume that control fluid source 214a causes afluid to flow through control fluid inlet passage 216a and into theinteraction chamber 204 at a sufficient angle to deflect the powerstream toward the parallel side wall 212. This control fluid changes themode of the power stream from laminar to turbulent flow. The flow ofcontrol fluid into the boundary layer region of the power stream and theeffect of the diverging side wall 226 is such that the turbulent powerstream becomes locked to side wall 226 during the time that controlfluid is being injected into the interaction chamber 204. The turbulentfluid flow is then exhausted to the atmosphere through vent port 228.The effect of the change of mode from laminar to turbulent flow withside wall attachment of the turbulent flow, along with the venting ofthe turbulent flow, causes the pressure in outlet 208 to be reduced tosubstantially zero.

The operation is similar when a control fluid is injected into theinteraction chamber from control fluid inlet passage 2161;. When controlfluid is injected into the interaction chamber 204 from either ofcontrol fluid inlet passages 220a, 220b, the control stream is directedagainst the side of the power stream and deflects the power streamtoward the parallel side wall 210. Assuming that the initial powerstream fluid flow was laminar, the effect of the control fluid causesthe power stream flow to become turbulent, and this turbulent streamattaches to the divergent side wall 222 and passes out of theinteraction chamber through vent port 224 thereby reducing the pressurein outlet 224 to substantially zero.

Referring now to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a comparison may be made between aturbulence amplifier relying only on the change of mode from laminar toturbulent flow for its on-off indication and the dual mode amplifier ofthe present invention. The ordinates in graphs FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 aregraduated in normalized units of output pressure (P,, divided by maximumoutput pressure P max), and the abscissas are graduated in units ofnormalized control pressure (P divided by max imum output pressure P,max). Referring to FIG. 6, there is little change in the normalizedoutput pressure for increased control pressure in the range of O.l-0.3and the output pressure remains positive for even greater values ofcontrol pressure, but FIG. 7 shows that the present invention has anoutput pressure that is reduced to substantially zero within this rangeof control pressure. Another advantage that the curves lllUS- trate isthat the dual mode NOR gate of the present invention has a sharp turn-oncharacteristic in changing from turbulent to laminar flow, while this isnot true for the presently known turbulence amplifiers. Thischaracteristic is represented by the dashed curves in FIGS. 6 and 7.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are by way of exampleonly and that various modifications can be made in construction andarrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An integrated fluidic circuit module comprising:

a plurality of plate elements compressed together to form a pack, atleast one of said plate elements having a plurality of aperturesintraconnected by fluid passages for programming said stack;

at least one of said plate elements having a plurality of fluid passagesforming an active fluidic element and an aperture forming a power streaminput to said active fluidic element, said active element passages alsocommunicating with the apertures in said programming plate element toperform a logic function, said active fluidic element including an inputpassage and an axially aligned outlet passage spaced therefrom by aninteraction chamber, said interaction chamber including a pair of sidewalls which are spaced apart more nearly near said input passage anddiverge toward said outlet passage, said interaction chamber terminatingin a vent port offset from said outlet passage in substantial alignmentwith the first side wall; and

at least one of said plate elements having means for venting saidfluidic element to the atmosphere through a peripheral notch in saidstack.

1. An integrated fluidic circuit module comprising: a plurality of plateelements compressed together to form a pack, at least one of said plateelements having a plurality of apertures intraconnected by fluidpassages for programming said stack; at least one of said plate elementshaving a plurality of fluid passages forming an active fluidic elementand an aperture forming a power stream input to said active fluidicelement, said active element passages also communicating with theapertures in said programming plate element to perform a logic function,said active fluidic element including an input passage and an axiallyaligned outlet passage spaced therefrom by an interaction chamber, saidinteraction chamber including a pair of side walls which are spacedapart more nearly near said input passage and diverge toward said outletpassage, said interaction chamber terminating in a vent port offset fromsaid outlet passage in substantial alignment with the first side wall;and at least one of said plate elements having means for venting saidfluidic element to the atmosphere through a peripheral notch in saidstack.